Karmacat: To Infinity And Beyond!

Karmacat

fayjmck wrote: »

I like the logic of the small house - but I get claustraphobic about people/space/etc - so my judgement is a bit squiff

(although I'm at the running away from teenagers stage of my life/on an island where you spend over 1/2 the year inside)

I love staying with a pal I know without kids at home now - her house is so cosy/tidy/perfectly formed.

Re: running costs......If you can't get an answer from the vendor can you ask any of the neighbours? They'll probably be more up front?

Its a good idea to chat with neighbours, isn't it.... the logic of the small house is ... logical :rotfl:... but remember, I don't have kids, so I don't need any space for them to come to stay, even. It has two bathrooms and two bedrooms (its not *that* small) so its perfectly possible to have someone to stay, even if they do have to sleep in the room I use for counselling.

And its detached. I have always, always, always wanted a detached property :j:j:j

Karmacat

taka wrote: »

I'm having gnocchi for tea today! :j I'm trying Weezl's recipe from her blog - not sure about using instant mash for it but I'll give it a try! I think the ready made ones have wheat flour in though. Here is a BBC food recipe too - it uses proper potatoes and less flour so may be more amenable to making it gluten free for you. :drool: :drool: :drool:

Thanks for this, Taka - I will check out those links. Trouble is, the reason we started the gnocchi discussion was me saying I don't eat potatoes nearly so much now, with the arthritis in my fingers making peeling them another difficult task - so the gnocchi would have to be bought readymade All of this about arthritic fingers is starting to be a reality, which is why a courtyard garden appeals to me.

Pippilongstocking

KC - blindingly silly thought - came to me at lunchtime.

I never peel potatoes - we always eat them with the skins on - boiled, mashed etc - worth trying non-peeled spuds?

My pal bought a house with minimal room for kids - she figured they could put her up!!

Detached is good - BUT also 4 outside walls adds to heating costs if insulation not good (although I think that one was good wasnt it).

Karmacat

Yep, it was good insulation, Fay - but frankly, it would be a price worth paying.

Peeling tatties - I'd have to go back to organic, but thats certainly a good idea - I never peeled tatties when I ate organic. Thanks :kisses3:

Pippilongstocking

Phew - as long as your tattie munching can recommence I'm a happy lassie

hypno06

But the bungalow isn't detached - its a semi.....or am I missing another property somewhere!

FWIW I think you have to decide whether you want lifestyle, or a project.....if you want easy living, no need to spend your cash on renovations, not worrying about getting quotes or putting jobs of until another day, then the bungalow is perfect. As you say, it is not like you have to accommodate the grandkids, so generally speaking, what space there is - inside and out - is all yours, and it would be manageable. On days when you are feeling old and arthritic, that will make a huge difference, and on a day when you are feeling young and spritely, it just gives you more time to enjoy the garden or chill with whatever boxset you have just ordered from amazon!

The bigger house, whilst bigger, has those words "would benefit from updating" and "requires renovation".....for someone who is looking forward to being debt and mortgage free, and who wants a lifestyle she can enjoy, those words don't really *work* IMO.....

Do you need the space? Or do you need the reduction in stress?

The bungalow is a healthy house, I reckon......the older one could sap your energy a bit.

Karmacat

hypno06 wrote: »

But the bungalow isn't detached - its a semi.....or am I missing another property somewhere! Nope, you're not missing anything - I misread it completely I was popping on here to confess....

FWIW I think you have to decide whether you want lifestyle, or a project.....if you want easy living, no need to spend your cash on renovations, not worrying about getting quotes or putting jobs of until another day, then the bungalow is perfect. As you say, it is not like you have to accommodate the grandkids, so generally speaking, what space there is - inside and out - is all yours, and it would be manageable. On days when you are feeling old and arthritic, that will make a huge difference, and on a day when you are feeling young and spritely, it just gives you more time to enjoy the garden or chill with whatever boxset you have just ordered from amazon! Yep

The bigger house, whilst bigger, has those words "would benefit from updating" and "requires renovation".....for someone who is looking forward to being debt and mortgage free, and who wants a lifestyle she can enjoy, those words don't really *work* IMO..... yep

Do you need the space? Or do you need the reduction in stress? I don't **need** the space - it would be nice, but actually there's almost too much space for me. At the moment, all I use of my house for myself, really, is a one bed flat with a large bedroom - the 2nd bed is used as storage and not much else, and the 3rd room is the counselling room. What I really need is the reduction in stress.

The bungalow is a healthy house, I reckon......the older one could sap your energy a bit.

I think you've put your finger on it, Hypno - I won't get to be debt free and mortgage free with the larger house, there'll be no reduction in stress. Costings in next post....

Karmacat

Larger house: on for £235k, say I bought it for £225k.
225k house purchase
10k house sale and purchase
5k debt repayment

240k total.

If I sold mine for 270k, which is what the EA believes I can achieve, that would give me up to £30k for improvements, but I would continue with the mortgage at the present rate. That would be okay in a modern, up to date house.

Hmmm. Even tho those figures look do-able, if the EA is to be believed, that house is too big. And I don't want to focus on the house, I want to go out and play! My sister's coming with me tomorrow, and the only reason she's doubtful about the smaller house is that she knows how many books I have, and how much I love them

hypno06

If the bigger house "feels" right when you go inside, then go with it. But I just remember how ill you have been these last months, and I worry for you that the bigger house will not allow you to enjoy your space because there will always be something that needs doing.

Also, if you have space you don't need, you will start allowing the clutter back in........!!

hypno06

And remember - what you don't spend on renovations would be money in the bank......security and money to "play" with.

If you spend that 30k on renovations, which wouldn't last long if you have roofing/kitchen/bathrooms etc to do, then you are left with nothing in the bank. That means you still HAVE to work. What happens then if you decide that, actually, you want to reduce your hours, pick and choose your clients more, or want to pack up and spend 6 months on a kibbutz?